Pendulum-oscillator-type damping system comprising an improved guiding device

ABSTRACT

A damping system ( 10 ) having a rotation axis (X) and comprising at least: one first flyweight ( 14 ) and one second flyweight ( 14 ) able to oscillate with respect to a support member ( 12 ), and at least one device ( 20 ) for guiding the first and second flyweights ( 14 ) with respect to the support member ( 12 ), having at least one bearing element ( 22 ) able to interact with a pair of opposite tracks, respectively a first guidance track ( 24 ) and a second guidance track ( 26 ) that is carried by the support member ( 12 ), wherein the first guidance track ( 24 ) is carried by said connecting means ( 16 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application is a national stage application of InternationalApplication No. PCT/FR2012/052384 filed Oct. 18, 2012, which claimspriority to French Patent Application No. 1159442 filed Oct. 19, 2011and French Patent Application No. 1256887 filed Jul. 17, 2012, of whichthe disclosures are incorporated herein by reference and to whichpriority is claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pendulum-oscillator-type dampingsystem having an improved guidance device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Damping systems of this kind, also called “pendulum oscillator” or“pendulum” devices and installed especially but not exclusively on thetransmission of a motor vehicle, are known from the existing art.

In a motor vehicle transmission, at least one torsional damping systemis generally combined with a clutch able to selectively connect theengine to the gearbox, such as a friction clutch or a hydrokineticcoupling apparatus having a locking clutch, the purpose being to filtervibrations resulting from engine irregularities.

This is because a combustion engine exhibits irregularities due to thesuccessive combustion events in the engine's cylinders, saidirregularities varying in particular depending on the number ofcylinders.

The damping means of a torsional damping system consequently have thefunction of filtering the vibrations caused by the irregularities, andtake effect before engine torque is transmitted to the gearbox.

Vibrations entering the gearbox would otherwise cause shocks, noise, oracoustic impacts therein that are particularly undesirable.

This is one of the reasons why one or more damping means, able to filtervibrations at least at one defined frequency, are used.

In the sector of transmissions, the search for increasingly highfiltering performance has led to the addition, for certain applications,of a damping system of the pendulum oscillator type to the dampingsystems or dampers that are conventionally utilized both in frictionclutches and in hydrokinetic coupling devices of motor vehicles.

The document US 2010/0122605 represents one such damping system of thependulum oscillator type.

The damping system has a support member and at least one pair offlyweights, generally several pairs of flyweights, distributedcircumferentially over the periphery of the support member.

The pairs of flyweights are arranged around the rotation axis of theengine shaft, and each pair of flyweights is free to oscillate around animaginary axis substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the engineshaft.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 of this document, the flyweights of one pairare connected to one another by connecting means such as rivets, eachconnecting means passing through an opening configured for that purposein the support member, and the ends of the connecting means each beingintegral with one of the flyweights of the pair, for example fastened tothe flyweights by riveting.

Besides the connecting means, the damping means has at least one devicefor guiding the flyweights with respect to the support member, theguidance device having bearing elements such as cylindrical rollers.

Each bearing element interacts with a pair of opposite tracks,respectively a first track carried by each of the flyweights of the pairand a second track formed by one of the edges of an orifice thatencompasses the support member.

In reaction to rotational inconsistencies, said flyweights becomedisplaced in such a way that the center of gravity of each of theflyweights oscillates around an axis substantially parallel to therotation axis of the engine shaft.

The radial position of the center of gravity of each of the flyweightswith respect to the rotation axis of the engine shaft, as well as thedistance of said center of gravity with respect to the imaginaryoscillation axis, are established so that in response to centrifugalforces, the oscillation frequency of each of the flyweights isproportional to the rotation speed of the engine shaft; said multiplecan assume, for example, a value close to the predominant harmonic orderof the vibrations responsible for strong rotational inconsistencies atclose to idle speed.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 of the document US 2010/0122605, the dampingsystem has three rivets and two bearing elements that are interposedcircumferentially between two consecutive rivets.

A damping system of this kind, however, and very particularly the devicefor guiding the flyweights, is not entirely satisfactory and exhibits avariety of drawbacks.

The support member is weakened by the presence on the one hand ofopenings to allow passage of the connecting means, and on the other handof guidance orifices associated with the bearing elements.

In the example of the document US 2010/0122605, for each pair offlyweights there are thus no fewer than five cutouts required,respectively three openings and two orifices, said cutouts affecting themechanical strength of the support member.

In addition, the presence of cutouts likewise has an effect on thedesign of the damping system, given that the openings and orifices,arranged circumferentially on the radial periphery of the support memberand successively one alongside the others, limit the number of flyweightpairs that can be installed on a support member of a given diameter.

A damping system of this kind, of the two-strand pendulum type, requiresvery good cutout stamping quality, which is difficult to achieve giventhe stamping processes used in industrial production.

This is because usual stamping processes result in the presence ofscratches or ridges in the axial direction, i.e. along the thickness.

In the case of the support member, for example, such scratches arepresent on the edge of each orifice forming the second guidance trackwith which the bearing element interacts, since the two orifices in thesupport member, and very particularly of each of the second guidancetracks, are generally produced by conventional press-type stamping.

These surface finish problems also occur with the flyweights having thefirst guidance tracks for the bearing elements, which are produced on apress by stamping out the flyweights, followed by a trimming operation.

The surface finish of the guidance tracks determines the bearingquality, however, especially the smoothness of motion during rolling. Inaddition, the surface finish of the guidance tracks has an effect onwear on the bearing element, and on the maximum sustainable contactpressure.

Other specific stamping processes could be utilized in order to improvethe surface finish of the guidance tracks, but would then haveunacceptable consequence in terms of cost.

In addition, the implementation of at least one orifice order to form,in each of the flyweights, the second guidance track associated withsaid at least one bearing element results in a commensurate reduction inthe total mass of each flyweight, and consequently in the operatingefficiency of the damping system, which has a lower total mass for agiven overall size.

The axial length of the bearing elements, such as the rollers, alsoimplies a risk of skewing of the flyweights with respect to the supportmember.

Lastly, when the damping system is under centrifugal force, the bearingelements are then operating in flexural mode, inducing large mechanicalstresses in the elements as well as wear problems.

The object of the present invention is therefore very particularly topropose a design that allows the aforementioned drawbacks of a dampingsystem of this kind to be overcome and allows its performance to beimproved, while in particular retaining a small overall size and optimumfunctioning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes for this purpose a damping system, in particularfor a motor vehicle transmission, having a rotation axis and comprisingat least:

-   -   a support member able to be caused to rotate around the rotation        axis,    -   at least one first flyweight and one second flyweight able to        oscillate with respect to the support member in a rotation plane        orthogonal to the rotation axis, said first and second        flyweights being mounted axially on either side of said support        member and connected axially to one another by means of at least        one connecting means passing axially through an associated        opening of said support member, and    -   at least one device for guiding the first and second flyweights        with respect to the support member, having at least one bearing        element able to interact with a pair of opposite tracks,        respectively a first guidance track and a second guidance track        that is carried by the support member, wherein the first        guidance track is carried by said connecting means.

Advantageously, the guidance device according to the invention allowsthe number of cutouts produced in the support member to be reduced.

Advantageously, the guidance device according to the invention allowsthe mass of the flyweights of the damping system to be optimized byeliminating the removals of material previously necessary forimplementing therein the guidance tracks for the bearing elements.

Thanks to the invention, the flexural forces that previously acted onthe bearing elements with the designs of the existing art areeliminated, with the advantage for the bearing elements, which areloaded only in compression, of a reduction in mechanical stress and thusa longer service life due to decreased wear.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

-   -   the connecting means are constituted by at least two spacers        present between said first and second flyweights, each spacer        being overall in the shape of an “H” having respectively two        axial bars whose ends are integral with one or the other of said        first and second flyweights, and an intermediate bar that,        centrally connecting the axial bars to one another, comprises        said first guidance track with which the bearing element        interacts;    -   the spacer is a one-piece part produced by forging;    -   the spacer is implemented in at least two parts, respectively        one part that, forming the intermediate bar, has at each end a        hole for installing a pair of rivets constituting the other        parts;    -   in a section along a radial median plane of the support member        orthogonally to the rotation axis, the first guidance track        carried by the intermediate bar exhibits a concave profile and        the second guidance track carried by the support member exhibits        a convex profile;    -   during operation, the bearing element of the guidance device is        stressed exclusively in compression between said first and        second guidance tracks;    -   the guidance device has axial abutment means in order to limit        the axial displacements of each of the flyweights with respect        to the support member, said abutment means being carried by said        bearing element and interposed radially between the first and        second guidance tracks;    -   the abutment means are formed by two annular rims that extend        radially and are respectively integral with the axial ends of        the bearing element;    -   the system has at least two guidance devices, respectively at        least one first guidance device and one second guidance device,        which are interposed axially between said at least one support        member and said first and second flyweights;    -   the system has a third guidance device that, arranged in a        triangle with the other two guidance devices, is intended to        ensure axial stability by limiting tilting of the first and        second flyweights with respect to said support member;    -   the connecting means constitute stop abutment means able to        interact with an abutment surface of the opening of the support        member in order to limit the oscillations of said at least one        flyweight with respect to said at least one support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will becomeevident upon reading the detailed description that will follow, whichwill be understood by referring to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting a damping system of the pendulumoscillator type according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the damping system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting the damping system of FIGS. 1 and2 assuming that one flyweight is transparent, illustrating the guidancedevices when the damping system is at rest;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a damping system according to the embodimentdepicted in FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are axially sectioned views depicting the damping systemaccording to FIG. 1 and illustrating more specifically for FIG. 5, aspacer axially connecting the flyweights, and for FIG. 6, the firsttrack which comprises said spacer and with which the bearing elementinteracts;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the description hereinafter and the claims, the terms “external” and“internal,” as well as the orientations “axial” and “radial,” will beused in non-limiting fashion, and in order to facilitate comprehension,to designate the elements of the damping system in accordance with thedefinitions given in the description.

By convention, the “radial” orientation is directed orthogonally to therotation axis (X) of the damping system which determines the “axial”orientation; and, moving away from said axis from inside to outside, the“circumferential” orientation is directed orthogonally to the axis ofthe damping system and orthogonally to the radial direction.

The terms “external” and “internal” are used to define the relativeposition of one element with respect to another with reference to therotation axis of the damping device; an element dose to the axis is thuscategorized as “internal” as opposed to an “external” element locatedradially peripherally.

In the description hereinafter, elements having similar, identical, oranalogous functions will be identified with the same reference numbers.

The invention relates to a damping system 10 that, having a rotationaxis X, is in particular able to be part of a motor vehicletransmission, said damping system 10 having in particular at least onesupport member 12 and at least one flyweight 14 in order to form apendulum oscillator.

FIG. 1 depicts a damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator typeaccording to an embodiment of the invention, provided solely as anon-limiting example.

In this embodiment, system 10 has a support member 12 and at least onepair of flyweights 14, respectively a first flyweight and a secondflyweight, that are arranged axially on either side of said supportmember 12.

Support member 12 is able to be caused to rotate around rotation axis Xof damping system 10.

Support member 12 is overall in the shape of a ring having two planarfaces on which said first flyweight 14 and second flyweight 14 areplaced.

A damping system 10 of this kind is capable, for example, of beingintegrated into a torsional damper (not depicted).

In known fashion, a torsional damper of this kind has at least one inputelement, at least one output element, and circumferentially actingelastic members that are interposed between said input and outputelements.

In the aforementioned case of utilization on a motor vehicletransmission, the input element is intended to be caused to rotate by adriving shaft (not depicted), such as the crankshaft of the internalcombustion engine of the motor vehicle equipped with the transmission,while the output element is rotationally connected to a driven shaft(not depicted), such as the input shaft of the gearbox of the vehiclewhich is connected to the gear ratio changing means.

Support member 12 of damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator typecan be constituted by an input element of said torsional damper, anoutput element, or an intermediate phasing element between two series ofsprings of said damper or, as a variant, an element rotationally linkedto these elements.

Damping system 10 of the pendulum oscillator type can then be carried,for example, by a guide washer or a phase washer, and is arranged on theradial external periphery of said washers.

The shape of support member 12 is consequently capable of varying,depending on the application, from that of the flat ring depicted inFIG. 1.

First and second flyweights 14 are able to oscillate with respect tosupport member 12 in a rotation plane orthogonal to rotation axis X.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, first and second flyweights 14 are mountedaxially on either side of said support member 12. Flyweights 14 areplate-shaped overall and extend circumferentially in a circular arc sothat flyweights 14 globally follow the external and internal edges ofsupport member 12.

As illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first and secondflyweights 14 are connected axially to one another by means of at leastone connecting means (or member) 16 passing axially through anassociated opening 18 of the support member 12.

The oscillations of flyweights 14 are accompanied by at least one device20 for guiding first and second flyweights 14 with respect to supportmember 12.

Guidance The at least guidance device 20 has a single bearing (orrolling) element 22 that is able to interact with a pair of oppositetracks.

According to the invention, the rolling element 22 interactsrespectively with a first guidance track 24 carried by the connectingmember 16 located between said first and second flyweights 14 and asecond guidance track 26 that is carried by the support member 12.

Advantageously, the connecting member 16 form a spacer that inparticular determines the axial spacing between flyweights 14 and theclearance with respect to support member 12.

The connecting member 16 are constituted preferably by at least twospacers that are arranged respectively at one and the other end offlyweights 14.

According to the embodiment depicted in the Figures, spacer 16 has theoverall shape of an “H” and comprises respectively two axially orientedbars 28 that are connected to one another by an intermediate bar 30.

Intermediate bar 30 centrally connects said axial bars 28 to oneanother, and has an external surface forming said first guidance track24 with which bearing element 22 interacts.

Each of the axial bars 28 of spacer 16 has an end that is received in acomplementary hole 32 of one of flyweights 14.

Holes 32 are through holes, and flyweights 14 are advantageouslyfastened to each spacer 16 by riveting, the heads 34 resulting therefrombeing more particularly visible in FIG. 1.

The ends of each of the axial bars 28 of spacer 16 are thus integralwith one or the other of the first and second flyweights 14.

Advantageously, the spacer 16 is a unitary part, such as a one-piecepart produced by forging.

As a variant, the spacer is implemented in at least two parts,respectively one part that forms the intermediate bar and has at eachend an axial hole for installation, in each, of one a pair of rivetsconstituting the other parts.

In a variant of this kind, the parts are advantageously associated withone of these functions: on the one hand, for the part forming theintermediate bar, the function of guiding the bearing element; and forthe rivets, the function of connecting the flyweights.

The rolling element 22 is preferably a roller moveable relative to thefirst guidance track 24 and the second guidance track 26.

The roller is preferably a solid part but, as a variant, could be ahollow part forming a tube.

Each spacer 16 is received in an associated opening 18 of support member12, said opening 18 having overall a triangular shape.

Opening 18 is demarcated radially by an external edge forming secondguidance track 26 of bearing element 22 and, radially oppositely, by aninternal edge 27 that here is rectilinear overall.

The external and internal edges of opening 18 are linked at each end bya surface 36 that constitutes an abutment capable of interacting withspacer 16 in order to limit the travel of flyweights 14 duringoperation.

More specifically, the part of spacer 16 intended to interact with oneof the abutment surfaces 36 of opening 18 is constituted by end 38 ofintermediate bar 30 of spacer 16, or the one that links to the centralsegment of each of the axial bars 28.

Spacer 16 that forms the connecting means thus has stop abutment meansformed by said ends 38 which are able to limit the oscillations offlyweights 14 with respect to support member 12.

According to a variant that is not depicted, absorption means areinterposed between the abutment means formed respectively by ends 38 ofspacer 16 and surfaces 36 of opening 18.

According to another variant that is not depicted, the absorption meansare interposed radially between bearing element 22 and opening 18 ofsupport member 12.

Absorption means of this kind are constituted, for example, by blocksmade of elastomeric material that are interposed between intermediatebar 30 of the rolling element 22 and internal edge 27 of opening 18, inorder to prevent any direct contact between the connecting member 16 andsupport member 12.

In a section along a radial median plane of support member 12orthogonally to rotation axis X, or as illustrated in FIG. 4 by the factthat one of flyweights 14 is made transparent, first guidance track 24carried by intermediate bar 30 of spacer 16 exhibits a concave profile,and second guidance track 26 carried by support member 12 and formed bythe external edge of opening 18 exhibits a convex profile.

Advantageously, during operation bearing element 22 of guidance device20 is stressed exclusively in compression between said first and secondguidance tracks 24, 26, with the result that there is a particularreduction in stress when system 10 is experiencing centrifugal force,and in wear problems on bearing element 22.

Advantageously, said at least one guidance device 20 has axial abutmentmeans 40 in order to limit the axial displacements of each of flyweights14 with respect to support member 12.

Said abutment means 40 are preferably carried by bearing element 22 andare interposed radially between first and second guidance tracks 24, 26.

As illustrated by FIGS. 2 to 4, abutment means 40 are formed by twoannular rims that, extending radially, are respectively integral withthe axial ends of bearing element 22.

As illustrated in section in FIG. 6, abutment means 40 are capable ofcoming into interaction with one or the other of the surfaces of supportmember 12.

Advantageously, abutment means 40 are integral with bearing element 22so as to form a one-piece assembly.

Damping system 10 preferably has at least two guidance devices 20,respectively at least one first guidance device 20A and one secondguidance device 20B, which are interposed axially between said at leastone support member 12 and said first and second flyweights 14.

Advantageously, damping system 10 has a third guidance device 20C thatanalogous to the other two guidance devices 20A and 20B.

Third guidance device 20C is arranged in a triangle with the other twoguidance devices 20A, 20B; i.e. it is not aligned with the other two.

Third device 20C is intended to ensure axial stability by limiting thetilting of first and second flyweights 14 with respect to said supportmember 12.

Bearing element 22 of third guidance device 200 exhibits radially adefined clearance, for example on the order of a few tenths, and thusdoes not constitute a carrier element of flyweights 14, unlike bearingelements 22 of the other two guidance devices 20A and 20B.

Preferably, and as illustrated in the sections of FIGS. 5 and 6, dampingdevice 10 has a design that is symmetrical with respect to a radialmedian plane P of support member 12 orthogonal to rotation axis X.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A damping system (10) having a rotationaxis (X) and comprising: a support member (12) rotatable around therotation axis (X); a first flyweight (14) and a second flyweight (14)configured to oscillate with respect to the support member (12) in arotation plane orthogonal to the rotation axis (X), the first and secondflyweights (14) being mounted axially on either side of the supportmember (12) and connected axially to one another by means of a spacer(16) passing axially through an associated opening (18) through thesupport member (12); and a guidance device (20) for guiding the firstand second flyweights (14) with respect to the support member (12), theguiding device (20) cooperating only with the spacer (16), the guidancedevice (20) having a single rolling element (22) configured to interactwith a pair of radially opposite tracks, respectively a single firstguidance track (24) and a second guidance track (26) carried by thesupport member (12); the single first guidance track (24) being carriedby the spacer (16); the spacer (16) non-moveably connected to each ofthe first and second flyweights (14) so that the first and secondflyweights (14) being non-moveable relative to one another; the spacer(16) and each of the first and second flyweights being moveable relativeto the support member (12); the single rolling element (22) interactingonly with the first guidance track (24) of the spacer and the secondguidance track (26) of the support member (12).
 2. The damping system(10) according to claim 1, wherein the single spacer (16) constitutesstop abutment means formed by opposite ends (38) thereof configured tointeract with an abutment surface (36) of the opening (18) of thesupport member (12) in order to limit the oscillations of the at leastone flyweight (14) with respect to the support member (12).
 3. Thedamping system (10) according to claim 1, comprising two associatedopenings (18) in the support member (12), two spacers each extendingaxially through one of the associated openings (18) between the firstand second flyweights (14), and two guidance devices (20), respectively:a first guidance device (20A) and a second guidance device (20B), whichare interposed axially between the support member (12) and the first andsecond flyweights (14).
 4. The damping system (10) according to claim 1,wherein axially opposite distal ends the spacer (16) are passing axiallythrough associated openings in the first and second flyweights.
 5. Thedamping system (10) according to claim 1, the single spacer (16) is aunitary part.
 6. The damping system (10) according to claim 5, theunitary part (16) is a one-piece part.
 7. A damping system (10) having arotation axis (X), the damping system (10) comprising: a support member(12) rotatable around the rotation axis (X); a first flyweight (14) anda second flyweight (14) configured to oscillate with respect to thesupport member (12) in a rotation plane orthogonal to the rotation axis(X), the first and second flyweights (14) being mounted axially oneither side of the support member (12); a connecting member (16) axiallyconnecting the first and second flyweights (14) to one another, theconnecting member (16) passing axially through an associated opening(18) through the support member (12); and a guidance device (20) forguiding the first and second flyweights (14) with respect to the supportmember (12), the guidance device (20) having a bearing element (22)configured to interact with a pair of radially opposite tracks,respectively a first guidance track (24) and a second guidance track(26); the first guidance track (24) being carried by the connectingmember (16); the second guidance track (26) being carried by the supportmember (12); the opening (18) through the support member (12) beingdemarcated radially by a concave external edge forming the secondguidance track (26) of the bearing element (22) and, radiallyoppositely, by a rectilinear internal edge (27).